Throughout the history, the human race has feared the night and the dark dwellers that in some cases only live in the imagination. Here are some of the names we have put to our fears - boogie man, haint, shade, specter, spook and phantom. Some may be real and yet not in the context of our youth … the boogie man is going to get you … there is a haint in my closet and a specter under my bed. In the present day, any supernatural “attacks” that occur are mostly explained by scientist and medical community as mental conditions. There are many cases that are a form of a mental condition but some are just how the victim explains it, a “spiritual” attack. Good and evil are a part of the balance in us all as are dreams and nightmares. We all have the ability to do evil, as we do have the ability to do good. It is the balance and the choices that we make that create a sinner or a saint.

 As with sinners and saints on this plane there must be a balance on the other plane also, angels and demons keep that balance. Demons and angels are at war for our souls; this is the battle between good and evil or the light and the darkness. In the army of the light there are angels that are here to help us along our way. Keeping the balance within the army of darkness there are demons that want to do us harm. It is believed that some of the demons are fallen angels that have been cast out of heaven but lets look at one type demon that may go bump in the night.

A type of demon that has plagued man for ages is the succubus and the incubus. The succubus is a female demon that is supposed to descend upon a man and have sexual intercourse with him as he sleeps. Within this exchange the demon is said to steal the life force from its victim and if not stopped over time the demon will cause the victim’s death. The succubus will affect changes in the man so that he will become ensnared in her web and long to get back to his dream lover. The changes will be subtle at first and could include the lack of ambition to have normal relations with the opposite sex. In most of the recorded cases the succubus will use half truths and wishes of the victim to lead him deeper into its web. It is said that if a succubus becomes impregnated in its sexual contact with her victim its offspring will possibly be a incubus, witch, demon or some other type of half demon that could walk the earth without restrictions.  One of the first writings on a succubus was in reference to Lilith. In Jewish folklore, Lilith is a demon that is an enemy of newborn children. The name Lilith is etymologically related to the Sumerian word lil (wind), not to the Hebrew word laylah (night), as was long supposed. Like the Sumerian wind demon and its later Babylonian counterpart, Lilith was regarded as a succubus, or female version of the incubus.

The incubus is the male counter part to the succubus and is said to plague women as they sleep. There are accounts of both the incubus and succubus forcing themselves upon the victim leaving bruises and bite marks. This type of attack in most cases is after the victim starts to try to get out of the web. Incubus is, as stated above, one of the possible offspring of a succubus and will have the same effect on a female that the succubus has on a male. The main difference of the two is that the male incubus is more often the one to become violent and leave marks. If the victim becomes impregnated by an incubus it is said that she will produce a demon, witch or a deformed offspring.

 Both succubus and incubus attacks have been described as feeling like some heavy presence is on top of you trying to become one with you. It is said that when you wake up you can not move, your eyes are open but you can not move any part of your body. You can feel a presence in the room but you still cannot move, then you feel the pressure upon you trying to become one with you, It is like a nightmare but you’re awake. A nonviolent attack is often said be very pleasant. It is described as feeling like a normal sexual encounter with the major difference being that it seemed cold. The forceful attack is also attributed to the night hag, which is said to be a succubus or incubus but is only there to steal the life or to try and posses the victim. In understanding the types of demon that may be attacking you it advisable to learn how to better defend yourself. Staying strong in your faith (no matter what it is) and sure of your own spirituality are important defenses against most types of attacks. A warrior that is sure and confident in their ability and knows their own heart will have won half the battle before it is waged. Within each faith or religion there are chants or prayers for protection. It is important first to know yourself and your heart to know that you’re being assaulted.  Knowledge of what may be going bump in the night is better that just fearing the night.